Basketball: Fixture pile-up could affect title race

To make matters worse, some clubs, including title chasers Boroughmuir Blaze, rested on their laurels last weekend while the Scottish Cup Finals took place and now face tricky back-to-back games this weekend.

On paper, Blaze will be favourites not only to beat both Tayside Musketeers at Grove Academy tomorrow (12.45pm) but also Dunfermline Reign at the Crags Sports Centre on Sunday (1.20pm). But Blaze captain Eoghann Dover is wary of potential banana skins, particularly as Muskies grabbed their only win of the league campaign so far at the Crags.

“We’re taking nothing for granted – we have to get our heads right for this one,” he said.

Tayside first of all have travel to without their coach Ross Bain, who has a work commitment, to Falkirk tonight to play Fury at the Mariner Centre (8pm) so will have just over 15 hours recovery for their Blaze test, which is frankly ridiculous.

Ayrshire Tornadoes are in a similar pickle as they are due to play Glasgow Storm at home tonight (8.05pm) then travel to play Edinburgh University at the Pleasance tomorrow (1.20pm).

Following their disappointing loss to St Mirren in the men’s cup final last Saturday, EU were boosted by a BUCS midweek 69-37 away win over Aberdeen in which Rodger Watt and Ronan Mullan shared top scoring with 14 apiece, Kyriakos Pantziaros adding 13 and captain Davy Rowan 10.

Italian point guard Leo Mancini scored seven and should make his national league debut tomorrow.

EU women enjoyed probably their best win of the season when they beat Newcastle 78-59 in the BUCS Northern Premier Division at the Pleasance this week.

Ahead 10-0 at the start and 40-30 at half-time, they never allowed Newcastle back in and were led by captain Erin McDonnell with 18 points, Sarah Halejian 17, Hilary Wood 12 and Scottish Cup final MVP Dori Lansbach with nine.

EU women are away to Rocks in the Scottish League at Cumbernauld on Sunday (11.20am) while St Andrews Univ host Edinburgh Kool Kats (2pm).